I stopped by a local shipping/packing/whatev franchise called PostNet to mail something to a customer a few days back.  As I searched for the perfect manilla, padded envelope for my parcel, I overheard a conversation from the manager of the store.  It went something like thits:

“I’ll tell you what, this economy is something else.  We just aren’t getting people to come into the store.  We’ve tried everything…nothing seems to be making a difference.”

While bemoaning his store’s fate, a clerk behind the desk rang me up.  Besides me (and the recipient of this managers moping), not a soul could be found.  “Strange,” i thought, “if this manager got his hands dirty and did the work instead of his teenage subordinate, he could save…lets see…$6.50/hr x 10 hrs x 6 days = $390 a week.  That would probably help out his cause a little bit.”

Lean business may take more work by each individual involved, but its been a great answer for me and my ventures….as long as I am willing to work (dang it!).